September 14, 2026
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that $11.7 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funding will support nursing home services and health-care workforce development in Vermont. The investment represents part of the state’s fiscal year 2026 award under the federal program.
Of that amount, $2.7 million will support three rural nursing homes and four community partners, expanding capacity to care for residents with complex medical needs and increasing training for licensed nursing assistants. Planned projects include purchasing ventilators and establishing a nursing-home-based dialysis service, allowing residents and community members to receive treatment closer to home.
The remaining $9 million will provide tuition assistance for health-care professionals in underserved or hard-to-fill positions who commit to serving rural Vermont communities for at least five years after graduation. The initiative aims to strengthen recruitment and retention across the rural health-care workforce.
Nationally, the Rural Health Transformation Program provides $50 billion over fiscal years 2026–2030 for state-led improvements in rural health care. Approved uses include workforce recruitment and retention, technology investments, and planning to address the need for services across the continuum, including post-acute care.
Although this announcement is specific to Vermont, it illustrates how rural health investments can reach nursing homes and strengthen access to specialized services. For PALTC clinicians, it offers a reason to follow their states’ implementation and seek opportunities to bring long-term care needs into rural health planning.